Journey's End
by rachelAbendstern
Summary: Wyatt comes back into the past to finish what he started in Chriscrossed. Why? Because he thinks he owes it to his little brother...
1. Halliwell's Path

Title: Journey's End

Author: rachelAbendstern

Summary: Wyatt comes after Chris to finish what he started in 'Chris-crossed'.

The story is placed somewhere after 'A wrong day's journey into right' and before 'It's a bad bad world'. Let's just make a few alterations and say Chris managed to keep his secret from everyone.

Spoilers: Basically season 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anything :( Can't I borrow Chris for a little while?

1. Halliwell's Path 

Stars were shining brightly over an almost silent city. Only now and then a noise could be heard; restless cats stalking through the streets, a lonely car driving on empty highways, the sudden sound of a motor starting when some people went home late or had to go to work early, disrupting the soothing silence of the quiet hours before dawn.

It was during these early hours of morning that a loud wail startled an owl out of her watch on a tree and a single light went on in the house on the opposite side of the street. The silent watcher witnessed a young man bending over a cot, taking a toddler into his arms, rocking him gently, speaking to the child, trying to soothe him back to sleep. Even after the creature of the night had lost its interest and had flown away to better hunting grounds, the young man stood over the bed of the child he had layed back there, watching with sad yet hopeful eyes.

Only the clouds shadowing the horizon foretold of coming darkness.

666

Later that day, a bright blue light illuminated the attic of the old manor and then the silhouette of tall burly man stepped out of it. When it died down, it momentarily took the shape of the triquetra on the wall behind the stranger before disappearing completely.

Wyatt took in his surroundings for a moment before trying to sense for his brother. The attic of his former home hadn't changed all that much under time's influences. There was still a sofa under the roof, still chairs standing around the spot where the Book of Shadows had its sacred place.

A small part of him almost yearned for the way things were back then. Back _here_. Things had been so easy when he was small. There were no problems his parents and aunts couldn't take care of, his little brother still adored him and his world still had the golden shine of childhood.

However, he steeled his resolve. His family had died fighting a fight they couldn't win starting with his mother, his father had turned into a workaholic, rarely coming down to see his first born anymore and even less for his second son.

And now he had a brother to find. A brother who betrayed him.

Why did Chris have to be so stubborn? Couldn't he see that Wyatt only wanted to make things easier for them? He didn't want to end like his ancestors, fighting and dying for the 'Good Cause', never being able to rest, never being able to just sit back and enjoy the victory because there _was_ no victory, not when ever more demons, ever more threats had to be dealt with. There was only a life of pain and unfullfilled dreams waiting down that road.

Look at their mother; when her older sister had died she had been a wreck, and as much as she wanted her children not to notice, it killed her each time when Leo left her because he had to put his work over his family again. Look at aunt Paige; she hadn't even been allowed to grow up with her siblings because her parents had feared what the Elders, the so-called 'paragon of good' might have done to the offspring of their forbidden union. Look at aunt Phoebe; she had lost the love of her life because after all that she had had to go through to be with Cole, when it came down to it they were still fighting on opposite sides. And all that for what? For strangers they didn't know, didn't care for, who didn't even know them or what they were doing for them? Never getting a reward for the risks they took at a daily basis? Always having to worry if the next demon would be the one whose name was hanging over their heads, like the sword of Damokles? Innocents his ass!

No, Wyatt thought. He didn't want to end like that and he didn't want that fate for his little brother either. It was so much easier not having to think about consequences, not having to answer to anyone but himself and he had the power he needed to achieve that. He already had achieved that. If only Chris could see that.

But that little brat stubbornly held on to a set of old overcome values and morals, despising his brother for what he wanted for the two of them, taking away the last link to a family he never had gotten over to lose. Chris' repeated rejection had hurt more than Wyatt wanted to admit. That day when Bianca had brought him back from the past, it had hurt more than any other time before. And not because of their fight. They had fought before. But because Chris claimed there was something wrong with him, claimed he wanted to 'save' him from whatever made him the way he was. Didn't his brother understand that he only wanted to spare them from going down the same path that all their family had followed? What was wrong with that? If Chris wanted to prevent that, he would have to prevent their mother's death, their aunts' deaths, their father's neglect and defeat every demon that was likely to pose a threat to them all.

That day, Wyatt had lost it. If Chris didn't want him as a brother the way he was, it was _his_ loss. But he would be damned if he let some common demon kill his little brother. And Wyatt was certain that exactly that would happen some day if Chris continued to follow Halliwell's Path. But if anyone laid a hand on Chris, it would be Wyatt himself. His brother was his responsibility, his to kill before he suffered the same pain all of their family before them had suffered.

It had taken him some time to reconstruct the spell Bianca had used to get to the past and back again, but he had done it. What good was it being twice-blessed if not for that? So here he was. All he had to do now was find Chris, give him one last chance to return to him and end it all if he refused.

666

He didn't trust this man, this... _Elder_!

Well, he didn't like Elders to begin with, but this Gideon was just creepy. He seemed quite eager to help them find what turned Wyatt, but when he thought no one was watching, the man looked at his brother like he was scum. He really didn't like that look.

Chris was sitting in the living room of the manor, leafing through the Book of Shadows again in the futile hope that it would show him something he didn't know yet. It had been raining all afternoon and he actually enjoyed the small sounds the drops made on the window panes and in the puddles outside on the street. The sisters were out on a shopping trip or something, baby Wyatt in their tow. It was a nice feeling to have them calmed down and able to trust him again. Perhaps they just didn't want to believe the truth. It was hard to imagine sweet, innocent little Wyatt as the ruthless coldblooded ruler Chris had known for the past eight years. Hell, he wouldn't believe it himself if he hadn't seen it. But it hurt nevertheless to have people you loved, who had loved you once and had always been by your side when you were a kid, hate and distrust you with such fervor.

And it hurt even more to keep his identity a secret each passing day, knowing that, if he told them, they propably wouldn't even believe him. Actually, Chris admitted to himself, they might still believe him seeing their own record of journey's to the past. But he wasn't sure of himself, if he could handle them knowing. The distrust, the hate, he could deal with that. It had been a part of his life for the last few years. If they started wanting to act like a family again however, the young man didn't know if he could cope. They had been dead for so long. It had been hard to see them again after all those years, after all that had happened to him. It would be even harder if they knew who he was when later, he had to go back to a time where there was none of them alive once more. And he had to think about his mission. It would be so easy to surrender to them, to want to forget about the future he had come from and enjoy their closeness, their love one more time; but he could not let that happen. It would be enough if he had his brother back.

There had been a few moments when he thought he was busted. Phoebe had come close a few times; on that vision quest in magic school when she had seen Piper's two children – Wyatt and Chris; or that geenie incident. Paige almost had him there as well. Or when he almost vanished because the chances for his conception were getting so small it was almost impossible anymore. Fortunately he had learned to be a very good liar if he had to. And they believed him. It was ridiculous really. When he needed them to believe him, they wouldn't but those excuses they had swallowed without even blinking.

"Well, well, well." Chris froze at the words, at the voice that was suddenly coming from the door. "You were always the studious one."

Slowly, not wanting to believe his ears he looked up, already knowing who he would find. Wyatt. What was his brother doing here? He had destroyed the spells that brought him and Bianca to the past.

It hurt even more to see his brother than it had hurt to see his family. Hurt, because he knew Wyatt still loved him, wanted to save him from sharing the same fate as all Halliwells before them. Oh, he knew that. Knew that all to well, and he wanted to laugh at the irony. He was going down Halliwell's Path already. He couldn't let his brother continue to harm innocents, destroy everything in his way. And it hurt, because after all Wyatt had done he still could not bring himself to hate him.

"How? Why?" Those were the only questions he was able to articulate at the moment.

Wyatt smirked haughtily, leaning against the doorframe. "How? Oh please, Chris. Give me some credit and consider who I am and who I learned from. Why? To get you back to me, one way or the other."

"You know I won't give up." Chris told him, more dejected than angry this time. So this would be how it ended, one way or the other. If Wyatt killed him now, this whole farce had been for nothing. And Chris was pretty sure Wyatt would kill him, justified in his own twisted sense of brotherly love, if he didn't find a way to send him back before that. The young witch had once told Bianca that, given the chance he would not hesitate to kill that bastard his brother had become. But Bianca and he both knew he had been lying. How could he slay his own brother? The one he had looked up to for so long. The one he set out to save by coming here to the past.

"You will not defy me again!" He heard his brother's angry voice just before he was slammed into the wall at the far end of the room by Wyatt's powers.

Groaning in pain, he managed to get to knees in time to see his brother closing in on him. Jerking his arm forward thus calling upon his own powers, he was able to catch the older one by surprise, sending him reeling in the table behind them. Chris wanted to rise and orb up into the attic while the other man was still too out of it, but he didn't count on Wyatt to recover immediately. Another surge of power send him crashing to the ceiling, then back down on the ground again. He couldn't fight the darkness that now descended upon him.

Voices. He heard voices swimming in his head.

"So you are Wyatt."...

"Actually I wanted to get rid of this meddlesome Whitelighter, but since you are here..."...

"You think you can kill me, _Elder_?"...

"I will make sure you won't be a threat to this world ever again."...

"You don't have the guts to do that!"...

"You should never have been born."...

"Attack him!"

He came to with the noises of a fight surrounding him. A fight? He had fought with his brother. Who was fighting now? Forcing his eyes open Chris was momentarily blinded by the dim light in the room. After a moment of adjustment, he was able to make out several people constantly moving and shimmering and dodging, even if his view was restricted by his prone position on the floor.

Clutching his head, moaning, the young man tried to stop the world from spinning around him. When he looked up again, he saw Wyatt about to take down the last of his attackers. How had he done this that fast?

Casting a confused look around the room, he saw something that made his insides turn to ice. Gideon was standing in the shadows next to a demolished reading lamp, eyes burning with a passion that bordered on madness, arms raised high over his head in preparation for a lethal strike. A lethal strike that was aimed at Wyatt. Chris' gaze danced from one man to the other for about a second. His brother had his back to the Elder, he didn't see him!

Sudden fear gripped his heart, and the boy's reflexes kicked in. He couldn't lose the one person that was left of his family!

"NO!"

Chris had orbed in front of his brother before he even realized it. The next moment his body convulsed in searing pain. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't see. The only thing he was still able to do was scream. Scream until his throat became hoarse and his own voice echoed in his head at the merciless agony that pulsated through his whole being.

Then suddenly it was all over. The last thing he registered were strong arms that caught him when his knees gave out beneath him.

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Gideon stared in shock at his own hands. Oh merciful powers above, what had he done! When he had told this old dark version of the Charmed One's son that he wanted to get rid of the boy he didn't mean that he wanted to harm him. He had wanted to put him under arrest until he had taken care of the infant before he could grow up to become this... this – monstrosity that now stood face to face with him, holding onto the limp body of the young Whitelighter he had wanted to slay.

This was exactly what the Elder had dreaded, what he had warned the others of! The child of a Charmed One and a Whitelighter should never have been allowed to even exist! It was a threat that no demon could compare to. The consequences would be too dire if that child was lured to the dark side. This _child_ had grown up to be the scourge of humanity in Chris' future. So why was he the only one to see the truth, to take the necessary steps and end the child's life before he even had the chance to pose a threat? Why did even Chris himself, who had come back to _warn_ them for that very purpose about what was going to happen, refuse to do what was necessary?

And why in heaven's name would Chris want to rescue someone who moments ago was ready to kill him? Why did this... _being_ look so shocked and crestfallen at the broken young man in his arms?

He barely heard the whisper that escaped the blonde's lips. "Little brother!"

The Elder had no time to think about the implications however, because at that moment blazing pools of sheer hatred and anger launched upon him. Rooted to the spot, Gideon helplessly watched as Wyatt held one hand up, still supporting the younger man with the other one and a force so powerful took a hold of him that he had to gasp in need for breath as his feet dangled a few inches above the floor. When pain shot through him like lightning bolts, he only had time to realize that the twice-blessed devil used the same powers his younger brother had been hurt with before everything slipped away from him.

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God no! NO! This was not right, this was not how it was supposed to end!

Not granting the pile of ashes that once had been the Elder another glance or thought, Wyatt gently lowered the still form of his younger brother to the floor, pulling him into his lap with his emotions running wild inside his mind.

When he had heard Chris' scream Wyatt had turned around only to find his brother orb between him and the Elder he had dismissed as harmless. His blood had turned cold at the tortured screams and the seizures his brother had endured. Being too shocked to do anything but watch as his little brother struggled under the onslaught of lethal energy that was meant for _him_, Wyatt was only just able to catch Chris before he hit the floor. It had been over in a matter of seconds but it was still enough.

He had wanted to spare Chris this kind of fate, damnit, had wanted to end it before it even had a chance to happen! Why did Chris have to jump in front of him when he despised him so much?

And why was he thinking about killing his own brother like it was the most normal thing in the world?

Soft moaning interrupted the circle in which his thoughts were spinning and he stopped the rocking motions and pleading words he was not even aware of speaking.

Looking down he saw dull green eyes watching him in confusion and pain. A shaky hand went up to touch his face and he heard the thin hesitant voice of his younger brother. "Wy?"

He nodded mutely, the thick lump in his throat interfering with his abilitly to speak for the moment.

"I'm cold, Wy." Chris' cool hand slipped down again.

No! That was never a good sign! He couldn't lose him, he couldn't lose the only family he had left! What had possessed him to even think about...

Tightening his grip on the suddenly frail form of his brother, Wyatt swallowed heavily and forced his voice to work. "You have to hold on, little bro! Hold on, ok?"

He could feel the boy nodding weakly against his shoulder. Looking back down, he saw Chris trying to speak again.

"Don't!" He told him, afraid the younger one was wasting his strength on him. "Don't try to speak."

But Chris seemed determined.

"I never... never stopped loving you." He finally brought out between his ragged breathing.

Wyatt's heart stopped for a moment. He didn't even feel the tears trailing down his cheeks suddenly. But it made sense now. Chris had seen all along what he was too blind to see. After all they had been through, all they had experienced even before they were teenagers, Wyatt had taken the easy way out. No, he still didn't want to end up like the rest of his family, but now he saw that letting innocents suffer his pain and losses was not the right way. Maybe his family couldn't win the fight against the demons of the world, but they were helping to maintain the balance, and that was exactly what they were there for. And maybe their life was harder than some others, but he now remembered that – even though there had been times of doubt for each of them – his mother and aunts and all the line's witches before them had made a conscious choice of following that path and hadn't regretted it. Like Chris. Only Wyatt had taken the coward's way out. He had the feeling as if a veil had been lifted from over his eyes and mind.

Why did he doubt his brother's love? What else could have made Chris do what he did and risk everything in order to help him. He didn't even know if Chris had been right about something or someone messing with his head when he was younger, but he could certainly see now why the young one had thought that.

Fighting back down the tears, he stroked his brother's soft brown locks, replying with a strained voice. "I know. I know. Don't worry."

_His baby brother_. God, he couldn't lose him! Not now, not ever!

Helplessly he watched as his brother's eyes slid closed and his breathing slowed down.

_Lay down your sweet and weary head.  
Night is falling. You've come to journey's end.  
Sleep now and dream of the ones who came before.  
They are calling from across the distant shore.  
Why do you weep? Why are these tears upon your face?  
Soon you will see: all of your fears will pass away.  
Save in my arms you're only sleeping._

A/N: This plot bunny just wouldn't keep quiet until I wrote this...

Inspired by the way by 'Into the West' by - I don't recall at the moment but it was the end theme of Lord of the Rings-The Return of the King. God, I love those movies!

So, what do you think? Should I even post the second chapter?

If you have any questions, ask!

The same goes for reviews ;)

Love you all :D

P.S.: Yes, I changed the chapter title. 'The End' didn't really appeal to me…


	2. A new Beginning

Title: Journey's End 

Author: rachelAbendstern

Summary: Wyatt comes after Chris to finish what he started in 'Chris-crossed'.

The story is placed somewhere after 'A wrong day's journey into right' and before 'It's a bad bad world'. Let's just make a few alterations and say Chris managed to keep his secret from everyone.

Spoilers: Basically season 6

Disclaimer: I don't own anything :( Can't I borrow Chris for a little while?

2. A new Beginning

_Hope fades into the world of night.  
__Through shadows falling out of memory and time.  
__Don't say: 'We have come now to the end.'  
__White shores are calling. You and I will meet again  
__And you'll be here in my arms just sleeping._

Wyatt wanted to scream! All his powers and he wasn't even able to help the one person he had left in this world! What was being twice-blessed good for if he couldn't even save his own brother? Of course, the one damn thing his father hadn't passed on to him was the ability to heal! It was not fair! His brother was slowly _dying_ in his arms because the one power that could save him was out of his reach!

But then, through the haze of panic and confusion, it suddenly dawned on him, that he didn't need to have the power himself. His father was still alive in this time.

"Leo!" he yelled up to the ceiling, dimly aware of another presence entering the room.

"DAD!" Anger was creeping into his voice now. "You get your damn dead ass down here this instance!"

The sound of shopping bags dropping to the floor mixed with the familiar chiming of bright blue orbs that now materialized in front of him and a heartbeat later he could see the never-aging form of his father staring down on his two sons in confusion.

"Wyatt!" He asked incredulously, open-mouthed and wide-eyed.

But before he could form any more questions, his eldest son interrupted him rudely. "Heal now, ask later!"

666

It was still raining by the time the sisters came back from their little shopping tour. Happily chattering, discarding their dripping cloaks and umbrellas in the entrance hall, none of them noticed that something was dangerously amiss at first.

Hence, two shopping bags in her hands, Piper started towards the living room where they had left Chris about two hours ago. She highly doubted that the young witch-Whitelighter had moved at all since their departure. He was as happy as a drunk in a liquor store if only he could study his Book of Shadows, the older witch thought wryly amused. It surprised her that he didn't know it by heart by now. But she was determined to make him take a break now, because the eldest Halliwell had some purchases she wanted to show him. No excuses allowed this time, 'cause an annoyed, heavily pregnant, hormonal and powerful Charmed One was not something – or rather some_one_ – anybody would want to mess with! And between all of the baby-supplies there were even some clothes for Chris in the bag.

It still surprised Piper sometimes that, after all the distrust and harsh words that had been spoken, they still had managed to grow so close these last few months. But even the ever sceptical eldest sister couldn't misunderstand his almost overprotective demeanour which had only grown worse with her extending belly. And – thanks to her father – Chris had started acting almost human, if still more than a bit neurotic,around her little family. She never did find out what the two men had been talking about or what her father had seen in the boy that very first time they had met that he actually acted civil around a Whitelighter from the beginning. But she had seen the compassionate worried looks her father had thrown the boy and Chris' sudden change in behaviour and had decided it was time to stop interrogating and start trusting, even if only in her father's instincts at first.

The sound of low voices made her falter in her step for a moment. Was Leo here? Arriving at the doorway to the other room the first thing she noticed was the destruction that now ruled the place. Pieces of furniture and shards of glass and porcelain lay scattered all over. What truly made her heart race in panic though, was the sight of the two young men huddled together in the middle of the room. One of them she didn't know. The other was Chris and her heart caught painfully in her throat as she recognized him. His clothing had dark scorch marks everywhere and she could see angry hot burns all over his body. Red raw flesh shone through many particularly nasty wounds and Piper had to fight down a sudden nausea, holding on to her shopping bags as if her life depended on them.

However, what the other man yelled next made her drop them in shellshocked recognition as she brought her hands up over her mouth, her thoughts in utter and profound turmoil.

666

Upon hearing someone calling for Leo down the hall and seeing Piper drop her bags, the other two women came rushing over to their older sister in concern, little Wyatt on Phoebe's hip. The little they saw from behind Piper was enough to make their blood run cold. Chris lay there unmoving, held tightly by some stranger they didn't know was friend or enemy.

Arriving just in time to see their former Whitelighter orb in front of the two young men in the middle of the awful scene, they finally processed exactly who the blonde stranger had called for.

"Dad?" Paige whispered, her own confusion mirrored in Phoebe's and Leo's faces whereas her eldest sister wore a look of dread and dawning understanding, one of her hands unconsciously moving from her mouth to her wide belly, when their young Whitelighter began to stir under Leo's careful treatment.

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Resurfacing from the silent blissfully painfree darkness he had slipped into only moments ago, the first things Chris was aware of were his brother's strong arms around him and the warm soothing glow that slowly spread through his body, chasing away the last memory of agony.

Groaning, he struggled to sit up on his own, reflexively pushing away both his father's and his brother's concerned helpful hands. He swayed slightly at first but managed to keep sitting upright on his knees. With all the attention momentarily focused on him, Chris glanced uncomfortably and with no small amount of uncertainty at Wyatt through the strands of dark hair that kept falling into his eyes. Could it be? He took note of his brother's unfamiliarly calm and composed stature, watching the younger one with slightly confused, remorseful yet somehow happy eyes. Could it be too much to ask for? That it was over? That it was Gideon all along? It sure looked like it. His brother's face didn't show the evil sneer or that twisted parody of a smile Chris had known for so long now, but had a look of quiet serenity. The young half-breed could have laughed at the twist of events fate had thrown their way. Wyatt himself had obviously averted the very doings he had always denied had actually happened.

Emerald eyes locked with his brother's icy blue ones, Chris just barely caught Leo's question.

"Would someone please tell us what the hell is going on here!"

The Elder glanced uncertainly between the two young men still kneeling in front of him, settling his gaze on the one he was familiar with eventually. "Chris?"

"Gideon," Chris replied still a bit shaky, finally taking his eyes off Wyatt. Seeing his father's lack of understanding, he repeated more firmly, impatience and the feeling of betrayal painting his voice dark. "It was Gideon. He wanted to kill him and I... I..."

"You were your usual foolhardy self and jumped in front of me!" His brother continued for him. "God, Chris! What the hell were you thinking!"

"It was what I came here for after all..."

By now, Piper had obviously overcome her initial shock and Chris watched her stepping up to his older brother, her wide eyes. He couldn't surpress the stab of jealousy that shot through him at her reaction.

"Wyatt?" she asked hesitantly, having to reach up to cup his cheek tentatively as he abruptly stood up. "But... I, I don't understand. Chris... He said that you, that you..." She let the sentence trail of in plain confusion and Chris had to wonder, provided that the future truly _had_ been changed, whether Wyatt even still remembered what he had done in his time as a despot. Like Chris did. And that brought back the one question he had always avoided until now. Would they even be able to return to the future if it had been so drastically changed?

"He was right." He heard Wyatt answer after several moments of uneasy silence. Relief surged through him. Relief that it was all for real, that he didn't dream this sudden, unexpected, insanely Disney-like happy ending. Reflief that it wouldn't look like he had lied once again, because Chris didn't think he could bear his mother and aunts changing their opinion on him one more time.

And he felt sudden sympathy towards his older brother at the sound of utter chagrin in his voice, giving Chris a good impression just how much he remembered from the future.

Leo cut the little reunion short though, shaking his head in agitated disbelief. "No! I mean why would Gideon do such a thing?"

For once, Chris didn't rule in his feelings of compassion for his father. This man, this Elder had been Leo's mentor and friend after all.

It had taken him a long time to accept the fact that this man wasn't the father he knew yet. And even though he still had his issues with him, this trip to the past made him learn one thing about Leo: sometimes he was utterly, totally oblivious to the feelings and needs of his family; but he would walk through hell and back if it meant it kept them save. It made not up for all the lost opportunities, all the missed birthdays, not hardly. But it stirred his hope that maybe, just maybe his father truly had cared about him in his own timeline.

"Gideon was afraid of me," he dimly heard Wyatt explain to their family. "Afraid of what I could become, what I had become according to Chris. And to prevent that he wanted to kill... baby me over there. He came here to get Chris out of the way because he knew, Chris wouldn't allow that. I just happened to be here when he arrived and he decided to take advantage of that and destroy my future self as well."

It was over! This realization suddenly struck deep. It was truly over and he had succeeded! Not twice-blessed, not mentioned in some weird prophecy, not powerful enough to fight on his own he had succeeded in this insane suicide mission he had never believed to successfully finish!

Chris couldn't hold in the laughter that welled up in him all of a sudden and threatened to spill over his lips. Helplessly chuckling, he accused Wyatt: "God, Wy! No two minutes around them and you already spill your identity!"

"Yeah, well, Bro," he heard his older brother spill yet another secret identity. "You're the only Halliwell I know that can keep a secret any length of time!"

And still he laughed. He could practically feel the sudden frozen silence of the other occupants of the room and Wyatt's sheepish "Ooops!" and still he couldn't stop laughing. Chris' sides began to hurt and he had trouble breathing but the laughter didn't cease. What was wrong with him?

In an effort to calm down he tried to take deep steady breaths, bending over and shielding his face with his hands, when abruptly the uncontrollable laughter changed into silent tears.

It was over...

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_Brother..._

Had Leo been confused and partly frightened at learning that his firstborn – who was supposed to be the source of all evil in his timeline – had come back to the past, presumably for the same reason Chris' fianceé Bianca had come, he stood completely shellshocked at Wyatt's almost casual revelation of Chris' true identity.

_His son. Chris was his son!_

Of course, it all made sense now. Chris' knowledge of the manor, of their family, of their little secrets and their customs, his witch-blood or Whitelighter-blood depending on the perspective. Why it was him of all people that went back to the past, risking literally everything by trying to change the future. Why the Book of Shadows trusted him from the beginning.

Leo's mind went overdrive as it started to point out all the subtle hints that could have given Chris away if only they had taken a closer look. Guilt started to gnaw on his insides. And it didn't help when his mind continued with reminding him how they had treated the boy, replaying all the situations where they had made him feel like an outcast, deliberately or unknowingly, all those mean little remarks that might sting a stranger but could do so much harm on family...

He didn't even want to think about what Chris must have felt like when Piper threw him out of the manor or when he himself had beaten him up right after he had escaped from Valhalla. The man almost visibly cringed at that particular memory. It must have been awful, never knowing if they trusted him today or if they once again found a cause to question his sincerity when all he wanted to do was save his family.

His body was too numb with shock yet to do anything but watch as his firstborn crouched down beside his brother when he realized Chris was indeed crying. Looking at Wyatt pulling the younger boy into a soothing embrace with Chris hiding his face in his brother's shoulder, Leo couldn't blame the boy for breaking down in hysterics. Hell, he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown himself at the moment.

Why hadn't the boy just told them the truth? It would have been so much easier on all of them. Then again, Chris propably had to have been terrified of changing something that would have caused more harm than good. Like jeopardizing his own conception, the Elder realized with a start. Jesus, how had Piper put it at one time? 'This whole family needs a shrink!'

How right she was.

And then Gideon. He couldn't believe his old friend would betray him like that. Planning to murder his son! And almost succeeding in killing another son he didn't even know of at that time. Leo couldn't bear thinking about that right now.

So, deciding to shove every thought of Gideon at the back of his mind for the time being, he rather watched his two sons in amazement.

There was a lot to talk about once everyone had calmed down enough. But for now, the man felt the two siblings needed that time together after everything that had happened. Looking over at the pregnant love of his life, he could see the same smile tugging at her lips that he himself had already given in to.

666

Hearing those few meaningful words coming from the mouth of her grown up firstborn son, Piper knew she was not nearly as shocked as she propably should have been. She had felt the truth for some time now.

The moment she had learned who sat on her living room floor, desperately holding onto a mortally wounded Chris, his face stained with tears, she knew for sure. The only thing that was missing to confirm her suspicion were the words spoken out loud.

A strong feeling of pride rushed through her at seeing her two boys all grown up, strong and caring and courageous, willing to sacrifice themselves for saving their family. Well, Chris didn't look so strong right now, fiercely clutching his older brother while hiding his tears in the crook of the other one's neck. Though Piper honestly couldn't blame him for that. This last year since he had come back to the past must have been hard on him. Never able to relax, always keeping his guard up so that he wouldn't let something slip accidentally, not being able or refusing to confide in them couldn't have been easy. And now that they had all come through this, alive and well, now that Wyatt was save and actually there to confirm the change that had taken place, all of Chris' pent up emotions must have snapped after all.

Her father knew, Piper suddenly realized. Had known the moment he had seen Chris. And now she had a fairly good idea about what the two of them had talked about.

In hindsight, the Halliwell witch was terribly sorry for all that they – what _she_ – had put the boy through during his year as their Whitelighter. But curiously enough she didn't feel guilt or remorse over her actions. Chris was a Halliwell and most certainly had grown up in the midst of fights against demons and whatever other threats or evil they had had to face. He knew that it was first priority to keep the family save and Piper had done just that. She was sure that Chris understood and would have acted the same if it would have been the other way round.

Observing the other young man who now gently rocked her youngest son in his arms, she could clearly see the guilt on his features. Wyatt. Her beautiful baby boy. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened in their lifes, what Wyatt had done as source of all evil to cause such anguish on his face. Unimaginable relief flooded through her now that she knew he was save, that neither of them would have to live through the hell Gideon had unintentionally created. Not in this timeline. The witch could only hope that, when they had found a way to get them back to the future, neither of them would have to remember what had happened to them.

The baby she carried decided to kick her at that moment and she touched the spot on her belly lovingly and with a smile on her face where she had felt him. She already looked forward to seeing her baby boys grow up into these fine young men who sat in front of her now.

666

A Halliwell, huh?

Now that was a twist of events, Paige thought wryly. But somehow, this revelation didn't surprise her at all. Not that she had seen this coming although, looking back on things, maybe they should have; there certainly had been clues enough. No, but knowing this family's history, there were pretty few things Paige didn't believe possible anymore. Though Chris had got to be the first Halliwell on a journey back to the past who had managed not to reveal his identity within the very first day.

Not just for that, sudden pride welled up in her. The young man had averted the danger for her small nephew, Chris himself, her new found other nephew was save and sound again and adult Wyatt was not the evil powercrazy tyrant anymore that his brother came here to stop.

She looked over at her middle sister, a bit startled to see a smug grin on Phoebe's lips. The empath still held little Wyatt on her hip, cooing to the young boy and pointing over to where his older self was comforting his little brother. Sensing Paige's eyes on her, she turned around, a happily smiling toddler moving with her and smirked at her sister. 'I knew it!' she formed with her lips.

Oh, there were _hours_ of explanations waiting for them!

Shaking her head ruefully, Paige had to grin.

666

After the danger was over, Chris' secret had been reveiled and Wyatt's own frantic emotions had calmed down somewhat, the young man finally had time to think about what had happened in the last twenty minutes.

Half an hour ago he had been the evil ruler of the whole frigging world, demon and human alike, not caring about anything but himself and his brother; betraying everything his family, his mother had stood for, fought for and died for; ready to kill his own brother to keep him from dying the way his mother and aunts and father had. How fucked up was that?

The twice-blessed remembered his past life, his past _deeds_ in all clarity and part of him almost wished Gideon had been strong enough to kill him. He couldn't understand why Chris still had faith in him, still cared for him so much so that he came all the way back through time in order to save him, after everything else had failed to make Wyatt see reason.

He hadn't seen reason for a long time. The wayward young man had been so immersed in his power, extending and protecting his dominion with every means possible, that he didn't see what he had become. Or rather not caring what he had become, for Wyatt clearly remembered that he had enjoyed what he had done back in the future. He couldn't imagine what must have happened in his own time when Gideon had managed to take a hold of him to turn him into something so different form what he felt he was now. Now that he had seen and killed the man – one murder he didn't regret – dim memories came back to him. Memories of dark caves and fires and monsters and pain and fear and loneliness. It was not much but it was enough to make him shiver.

The grip around his shoulders tightened and he felt Chris burrying his head deeper into his shoulder. His brother had stopped crying but still refused to let go and Wyatt let him. There was so much they had to work out, so much that stood between them. Like Bianca. And once Chris regained his composure, well...

Wyatt just hoped his baby brother would be able to forgive him in due time. Yes, Chris had risked everything to save him. That didn't mean though he was able to just forget everything that had happened to him because of Wyatt.

Maybe, somewhere down the road there was redemption waiting for him. And with that thought came a startling, yet somehow consoling realization:

Halliwell's Path had him back again.

The End

A/N:

I'm flattered! 31 reviews for one chapter! WOW! I never thought this story would draw that much attention.

So, there you go, here was the second chapter! Hope I lived up to all of your expectations :)

Actually this was never supposed to be more than a one shot. The only reason I divided it into two chapters was because I wanted to make a distinction between before and after Gideons death.

And yes, I know Paige and Phoebe came short, but I just didn't feel like they would fit in alright.

Thanks to Bunny Dee for pointing out that the song 'Into the West' was by Annie Lennox :)

Some of you perhaps know, that I prefer to reply to reviews per email rather than in the chapters themselves. But since not all of you have email adresses, here the rest of you:

Charmed in brooklyn: Well, you were right about Gideon. And Chris didn't die, so I hope you liked this chapter as well :)

Bunny Dee: You sound like you watch the movie a lot, huh? You were listening to the song before you reached the end of the chapter? Cool ;) Well, hope you liked my ending...

starra: Thanx! I did ;)

Magical princess: Thank you! But this was the end, at least of this story

phoebe turner: Thanks! Soon enough? ;)

Eliza17: ... can you see me back away? ;) Just kidding. Hope you liked how it worked out.

Wonder: Thanks. I think all of your questions were answered in the chapter. I don't really know if Wyatt had the ability to heal in the series, so for the sake of the storyline he doesn't ;)

Someone Special: well, there you go. Glad you liked it so far (the 1. chapter that is)

rizzysnape: You think? Thankx!

pita: Happy now? ;)

darcy101: I'll try. In case you read this, I hope you liked it :)

chauncey: See, I didn't let Chris die, sou can still listen to that absolutely fantastic song! U live in New Zealand! Care to invite me over ?;) No, seriously I would love to see that country, but I will most likely never have the money to actually do that :(

Lady: Well, I did. Hope it u liked how it turned out ;)

KlownKid-131: U did? Wow! And I hope it didn't hurt. Thanks!

So, that's that. And last but not least a huuuuuge THANKS to everyone who reviewed. You don't know how much good reviews do for me!

Love ya all!


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